


The Mirror

by FrankenSpine



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Be Careful What You Wish For, F/F, Fae & Fairies, Fae Magic, Gargoyles, Magic, Sequel, Species Swap, Tricksters, magical mishaps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:54:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23586478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrankenSpine/pseuds/FrankenSpine
Summary: The sequel to the Age of Gargoyles.Maleficent steals an enchanted mirror from the history museum in an attempt to wipe out the human race. Things do not go quite as she planned.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 33





	1. The Mystic Room

**Author's Note:**

> 'The Mirror' is easily one of my favorite Gargoyles episodes, so of course I had to adapt it into a SwanQueen format.

Emma was with Regina on the rooftop, smiling as she watched Henry playing fetch with Ruby. The boy had been doing better these past few months. He was happier. He smiled more. His grades had improved. Eloise Gardener had _resigned_ following the backlash surrounding the incriminating audio Emma had posted online. Henry’s new teacher, Elsa Frost, was much nicer and far more helpful with any problems he or the other students had.

The only issue Henry had was having to refrain from telling all his friends about the gargoyles. They were all he drew these days. All the stories he wrote in his notebook were about gargoyles, and what he would do if he was one of them. Currently, Emma was holding said notebook, as he’d gotten in trouble that day for drawing a picture of himself as a statue with both his middle fingers up. Emma found it hilarious, but she had to make it clear that he couldn’t draw things like that at school anymore. Thankfully, he seemed to have no problem with this and complied.

Jefferson, Killian and Graham soon returned from their nightly patrol. They had been searching for Maleficent ever since she disappeared, but with no luck.

“Any sign of her?” Regina asked, still clinging to some semblance of hope.

The three brothers shook their heads.

“I’m sorry, Regina,” said Jefferson, “We looked everywhere. She’s gone.”

Regina sighed, hooking her wings around her shoulders so as to comfort herself. “Thank you for trying anyway.”

“Maybe she just doesn’t _want_ to be found,” said Killian.

“Perhaps,” said Regina, though the doubt in her voice was all-too evident.

What she didn’t realize was that a pair of vengeful red eyes were glaring at her from the shadows. It wasn’t much longer until Emma got a call from dispatch. She looked to Regina with a frown.

“There’s been a break-in at the museum across town,” she said, “Mind tagging along?”

“Not at all.” Regina looked to Jefferson. “Keep an eye on Henry, will you?”

“Sure thing, Regina. He’s in good hands.”

Setting the notebook aside, Emma climbed onto Regina’s back and the brunette took off through the sky towards the museum.

“What exactly _is_ a museum?”

“A place where people go to learn about certain things. This one’s a history museum. It’s got all kinds of ancient artifacts.”

“Interesting.”

Regina landed on the steps of the museum and Emma jumped down, swiftly drawing her gun.

“Cover me.”

Regina looked around for any signs of the intruder. “Do you think Gold is behind this?”

“Knowing him, I wouldn’t doubt it, but what could he _possibly_ want from a museum?”

“There is but one way to find out.”

Emma paused when she reached the Mystic Room, which housed the supposedly-magical artifacts from various cultures. Regina loomed behind her, not saying a word. Emma switched the safety off on her gun and slowly moved to peer into the room. Her eyes widened when she realized who it was. She looked to Regina in shock.

 _“It’s Maleficent,”_ she whispered.

Regina’s eyes narrowed. It was clear that she wanted to confront her former mate, but Emma was quick to stop her with a mere shake of the head. They both peeked inside and saw Maleficent wrapping a thick blanket around an old mirror.

“What’s she doing with a mirror?” Emma asked, puzzled.

“I don’t know, but we’ve got to stop her.”

Regina rushed into the Mystic Room before Emma could stop her, drawing Maleficent’s attention.

“Maleficent! Get away from the mirror!”

The room echoed with Maleficent’s wicked laughter. “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Regina.”

She grabbed the mirror and fled from the room with Regina in hot pursuit. Emma, in turn, was trailing after Regina.

“Whatever you’re planning with that mirror, it won’t work!” Regina shouted.

Again, Maleficent laughed. “That’s what _you_ think, Regina!” She pulled a flashbang from the pouch tied to her belt and threw it down, temporarily blinding Regina while she fled into the night.

“Regina!” Emma rushed over to the brunette. “Are you okay?”

“I— I can’t see,” Regina told her, “but you need to go after Maleficent! Don’t worry about me! You’ve got to get that mirror!”

Emma rushed outside to stop Maleficent, but it was too late. She was already up in the air, mirror in hand. There was no way to follow her.

“Damn it!” Emma returned with her head down and her fists clenched. “She got away. I’m sorry, Regina.”

“No. I am the one who owes _you_ an apology. Had I not stormed the room, she may not have escaped. I allowed my anger to get the better of me. I pray it doesn’t happen a second time.”

Emma cupped Regina’s face, unaware that her touch made the brunette’s heart skip a beat.

“Can you see me?”

“Barely. Everything is blurred.”

“I can help get you back to the castle.”

“But how? We’ll be spotted for sure.”

“Not if I can help it. Wait here.”

“Where are you going?”

“To the station,” said Emma, “It’s not far. I’ll bring back a cruiser.”

And so that was what she did. When she returned, she helped Regina into the backseat and the brunette was left with little choice but to sit in discomfort.

“I don’t think I like this very much. There is hardly any room for my tail, and this cage is scraping against my knees.”

Emma glanced at her apologetically in the mirror. “Sorry. I just didn’t want to risk anyone seeing you. This town isn’t exactly _progressive.”_

“What do you mean?”

“I mean they don’t accept anything outside the norm. Neal and I, for example. We lived together, and we had Henry, but we were never married. Neither of us thought it was necessary. We loved each other. I think that should’ve been enough, but most people around here didn’t approve.”

“Human customs are strange.”

Emma laughed. “Tell me about it.”

Regina was quiet for a moment. “Will you tell me about Neal?”

Emma hesitated. “What do you want to know?”

“What was he like?”

A smile graced Emma’s lips. “He was the most honest guy I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. He said whatever was on his mind, no matter how controversial, but he had nothing but kind words for me. He was a good man. He just did some bad things when he was a kid. We both did, but we got away from that life and came here. Not long after, Henry came along. That boy’s the light of my life. Losing Neal was more painful than words can express, but if I had lost Henry? That would’ve been _excruciating.”_

“I understand that pain,” Regina said quietly, “I know it all too well.”

When they arrived back at the castle, they were greeted by Henry and the others.

“Did you catch the bad guy?” asked Henry, “How come you drove a cruiser?”

“It was Maleficent,” Emma told him, “She blinded Regina with a flashbang.”

Henry was mortified. “What?! Like, _forever?”_

Emma placed a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t worry, kid. It’s only temporary.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” said Regina, “A gargoyle’s eyes are more sensitive than those of a human. This may take a while, but it’s nothing a day of stone hibernation can’t cure.”

“You said it was Maleficent,” said Jefferson, “What was she doing there?”

“Stealing some old mirror,” said Emma, “I tried to stop her, but she was already in the air before I could catch up.”

Jefferson frowned. “A mirror?” he asked, “What kind of mirror?”

“I don’t know,” Emma said with a shrug, “It was oval-shaped with a gold frame.”

“Oh no.”

Emma’s brows furrowed. “Oh no? What’s ‘oh no?’”

“That sounds like Fiona’s mirror.”

“Fiona?” asked Henry, “Like from _Shrek?”_

“I know of no ‘Shrek,’” said Jefferson, “Fiona is the Queen of the Fae.”

Emma folded her arms. “What the hell are _Fae?”_

“The Irishmen called them ‘Fairfolk,’” Jefferson explained, “Beings of pure magic. Shapeshifters, if you will. The Norsemen knew them as Elves— some light, some dark.”

Emma was stunned. “Shapeshifters? Elves? You mean they’re actually _real?”_

Jefferson smiled. “As real as we are.”

“Does that mean angels are real, too?” asked Henry.

“I suppose so, though I’ve never actually seen one.”

Henry bore a hopeful smile. “I like to think they are. I bet my dad’s an angel.”

Emma hugged him close to her. “Must be genetic, kid, ‘cause you’re _my_ angel," she said, "Now, I think it's about time we got you home. You have school in the morning."

“But _Mom,”_ Henry fussed.

“No buts. Get your notebook and let’s go.”

Graham took Henry up to the rooftop to fetch his notebook, and soon, he and Emma were heading home in the Volkswagen. 

“What do you think Maleficent is planning on doing with that mirror?” asked Killian.

Regina frowned. “Whatever it is, it can’t be good.”


	2. Pan

Maleficent was out in the yard of an old farmhouse with the mirror. She’d wrapped iron chains around it, confident that her plan would be a success. She lifted the silver bell she had procured alongside the mirror and tapped it three times with her claw. Its melodic ring caused the mirror to emit a bright green glow that forced her to shield her eyes. When it faded, she looked to find a faerie with pointed ears on the ground at her feet. He was draped in rugged, forest-green clothing, and was bound by the chains. He was glaring at her.

“Is this _really_ necessary?”

“Merely a precaution,” said Maleficent, “You served the human, but now you serve _me.”_

The faerie frowned as he pushed himself up. “Serving humans is fun. They have a sense of humor. You, on the other hand, have _none.”_

“Do not mock me, Pan,” Maleficent hissed, “You seem to forget that I have bound you in iron. Until I decide to release you, you _must_ obey.”

The faerie huffed. “Alright, what do you want?”

“I want to walk in the sun— feel its warmth on my skin. Never again do I wish to be vulnerable in the daylight!”

“And what will you do then? Take a nice afternoon stroll down Main Street? I’m sure you’d fit _right in.”_

Maleficent sneered at the faerie. “I could if only I wasn’t surrounded by all these insufferable humans!” A lightbulb went off in her head, and she grinned deviously. “That’s it! I want you to destroy all the humans!”

“Sorry, no can do.”

Maleficent’s eyes flashed red. _“What?!”_

“Wiping out an entire species is against the rules. Mother’s orders.”

“Is there anything _else_ you can’t do?” Maleficent snapped.

“No stealing magical items from mortals and no resurrecting the dead.”

“Is that all?”

“Unless Mother has decreed some new law in the last millennium, then the answer is yes.” The faerie laughed when he saw Maleficent roll her eyes. “You know,” he said, tapping the mirror. An image of Regina appeared. “I can make her fall in love with you again, piece of cake.”

“No,” said Maleficent, “The time for that is long over.” She bared her teeth in rage when she saw Emma in the mirror, and her eyes became red once more. “If you can’t wipe out all the humans, then at least get rid of _that one!_ I’ve seen the way Regina looks at that wench! Let her suffer as I have!”

A sly grin crept onto the faerie’s face. “Consider it done.” Green energy emanated from his hand and went straight into the mirror as the image of Emma faded. 

* * *

“I know Henry really wanted to stay longer, but he’s got to get up early tomorrow. I can’t let him play hooky every—”

Emma gasped as her body began to glow.

“What the fuck?!”

Regina’s eyes widened. _“Emma!”_

She clutched at the blonde’s hand, but then Emma started to float into the air and understandably panicked.

“What’s happening to her?” asked Killian.

“It must have something to do with the mirror!” said Jefferson.

There was a blinding flash of light, and suddenly, Emma was back on her feet, but she wasn’t herself anymore. She was a gargoyle, with golden skin and hair, and the sight of her left Regina speechless.

“E— _Emma?”_

The blonde gaped at her. “Regina! You’ve been turned into a gargoyle!”

Regina frowned. _“What?_ No, it’s _you_ who has changed. You were human just moments ago! Maleficent is responsible, no doubt.”

She stepped closer, feeling drawn to the blonde like a moth to a flame. Having mated with Maleficent, she still had an instinctive attraction to her newfound nemesis, and it disgusted her, but _Emma?_ Emma was special, certainly so now that she was a gargoyle.

Regina placed a hand on Emma’s shoulder, and when they locked eyes, she felt heat rise to her cheeks. She wasn’t quite ready to acknowledge the warmth pooling between her thighs.

* * *

Maleficent stared into the mirror with a frown. She couldn’t see what Pan had done.

“Well? Did it work?”

The faerie smiled. “The human, Emma Swan, is no more,” he assured.

“Then you’ve got to do it again! To _every_ human in this measly town!”

“You know not what you’re asking, _believe me.”_

Maleficent grabbed the chains binding Pan, pulling him towards her. “Is it even possible? Can it truly be done?”

“Yes,” Pan said reluctantly, “but not from here.” He scanned the area and his eyes lit up when he spotted a colossal satellite dish. “There,” he said, _“That_ will do nicely.”

* * *

“I’ve _always_ been a gargoyle,” Emma said matter-of-factly, “I think I’d know if I wasn’t.”

Regina led her to the edge of the tower. “Think, Emma. When we were battling Gold’s robots, you and Maleficent fell. Who was it that saved you?”

Emma’s eyes widened as she stared down at the ground below. “It was _you,”_ she rasped.

“And if you were always a gargoyle, then why would you need _me_ to catch you? Could I truly have done so, had I been human?”

“I— I guess not. None of this makes any sense. You’re telling me I can _glide_ with these wings?”

Regina smiled. “Of course you can. That’s what they’re for.” She hooked her arm around Emma and leapt from the roof.

“Holy shit!”

“Relax,” said Regina, “Just let the wind carry you, but stay close to me and you’ll be alright. I promise.”

Emma did as Regina said, and to her surprise, she soon got the hang of it. “Hey, this is amazing! Why haven’t I ever done this before?”

“Because you _couldn’t.”_ Regina looked closely at Emma and smiled. “It never occurred to me when you were human, just how beautiful you are.”

Emma laughed. “Are you saying you thought I was _ugly?”_

Regina’s heart sank. “Well, I— _careful, updraft!”_

They came to land on the roof of the library and Emma stared at the people passing by in utter horror.

“Look at them! They’ve all been turned into humans!”

Regina sighed and shook her head. “No, Emma. They were never gargoyles, either.”

The three brothers soon joined them on the rooftop. Graham was the first to point out the strange flashing light in the distance.

“Regina, look! It’s coming from the satellite!”

Regina bared her teeth in rage. _“Maleficent,”_ she hissed.

Suddenly, the light shot up into the clouds, and a wave of energy rippled across the whole town. Then, as quickly as it had appeared, the light faded. When Regina and the others looked back down at the townspeople, they were shocked to see that everyone had endured the same fate as Emma.


	3. Human

“I want to see a town void of humans,” said Maleficent.

When Pan did not respond, she turned to find him lying dormant near the mirror. She nudged him with her tail, but he didn’t move. Suddenly, she was knocked to the ground by Jefferson. She managed to throw him off and jumped to her feet. Her eyes were glowing red.

“You’re too late!” she told him, “You can’t stop what’s already been set in motion!”

Jefferson glared at her. “We’ll see about that.”

The others landed by his side, ready to take her on.

“Give up, Maleficent,” said Regina, “You can’t fight us all.”

Maleficent sneered at her, grabbing the faerie and the mirror. “This is no time to sleep, Pan! Wake up!” He didn’t respond, so she took off towards the edge of the cliff and cast the mirror away while she fled with the sleeping faerie.

Regina’s eyes widened. “Get the mirror!”

Killian managed to swoop down and grab it before it shattered into a thousand pieces, but Maleficent had escaped yet again. She was headed for the town.

“Bloody hell,” he muttered.

Maleficent carried Pan as she soared over Storybrooke, enraged by what she saw. The entire town was full of gargoyles.

 _“What?!_ Curse you, Pan!”

She landed in an alley, shielding the faerie with her wings. Jefferson, Graham, and Killian tried to follow her, but the wind had died down and they ended up falling. She rushed out of the alley and onto the sidewalk, disappearing into the crowd. The three brothers jumped up and ran after her, but it was no use. She was gone.

“It’s like trying to find a needle in a haystack,” Graham said with a huff.

His and Killian’s eyes lit up when they spotted three female gargoyles smiling at them while passing by.

“This is,” Graham hesitated, _“quite_ strange.”

“Aye,” said Killian, “but it’s rather fun, don’t you think?”

Jefferson folded his arms. “Maybe for you two,” he muttered. He perked up, however, when he noticed a male gargoyle eyeing him from across the street. “Okay, this _is_ fun.”

Regina landed behind them with the mirror in hand. “No,” she said, “It’s _dangerous.”_

* * *

Maleficent was fuming. “I asked you to destroy the humans!” she shouted, “Not give them the _gift_ of being a gargoyle! I want you to change the gargoyles to humans!”

She had brought Pan to the junkyard, away from prying eyes. The faerie sighed as he leaned against an old truck.

“Allow me to rest a moment. I need to regain my strength.”

Maleficent’s frown deepened. “You didn’t seem all that tired when you made yourself invisible to the crowd!”

Pan rolled his eyes. “Relax, I was merely catching my breath.” A grin crept onto his face as he looked into the truck’s rearview mirror. “Worry not. I shall do _exactly_ as you ask.”

* * *

The clan was now back on the castle rooftop with Emma, who had been too nervous to attempt gliding on her own. They had the mirror, but they still had Maleficent to worry about.

“Who was that with Maleficent?” asked Killian.

“I believe she called him _Pan,”_ said Jefferson, “Considering this is Fiona’s mirror, that must make him a faerie. I did notice he was wrapped in chains. Maleficent must be using them as a means of control.”

Emma frowned. “What’s so special about the chains? Are they magic, too?”

“Doubtful. They’re probably forged from iron, a faerie’s one weakness,” Jefferson explained.

Regina spread her wings and stepped up onto the ledge. “We need to go after her, before she and Pan do any further damage.”

Emma cautiously approached. “I don’t think I’ll ever get the hang of jumping off buildings.”

Regina smiled. “I’ll always be there to catch you,” she said softly. She dove off the edge, circling the tower. “It’s really quite simple.”

Without warning, the mirror began to glow, and a burst of green light enveloped the clan. It only lasted a moment. Suddenly, they were human. Regina included. Her eyes widened in horror as she began to fall.

Emma gasped and swooped down, not caring about her own safety as she caught Regina in her arms. She came back up to the roof and set Regina down gently. She stared at the brunette in wonder, enraptured by that smooth, olive skin and— she shook her head, snapping herself out of her trance.

Jefferson grabbed a tapestry from the corridor and draped it over the mirror. “Let’s pray nothing else comes jumping out.”

Regina was a bit disoriented. “There was a light,” she said, “It blinded me, and then I felt myself falling.” She shook her head. “I— I’ve never fallen before.” She gasped when she saw Emma and clutched the blonde’s shoulders, grinning ecstatically. “Emma! You’ve changed back to normal!”

“No I haven’t,” Emma insisted, “You guys changed. You’re all human now. You fell because you don’t have wings.”

Graham frowned. “But we’ve _always_ been human.”

“Aye. We’ve never needed wings to glide.”

Jefferson shook his head. “We must have used wings,” he said, “How else could we glide? None of this makes sense.”

“I believe Emma is right,” said Regina, “We’re supposed to be gargoyles, and yet we’re not. Everyone else should be human. This is all thanks to Maleficent and Pan. We need to find them before anyone else gets hurt.”


	4. Showdown in the Park

“Did you do it?” asked Maleficent.

Pan smiled. “I certainly did.”

Maleficent grabbed the chains and glided to a nearby rooftop, expecting to find a town full of humans. No such luck. They hadn’t changed.

“I told you to turn the gargoyles into humans!” she snapped.

“Oh, _these_ gargoyles? I had assumed you meant Regina and _her_ _clan!”_

The faerie’s words stung, but Maleficent did her best to ignore the pain in her chest. Her eyes flashed red with murderous rage.

“This is your last chance, Pan!” she hissed, “One more slip-up and I’ll have your head on a platter!”

“Are you not pleased? Think about it. Regina and the others are human now. You can _easily_ destroy them, if you so desire. They are completely at your mercy.”

A devious grin crept onto Maleficent’s face.

* * *

Regina, Emma and the others were walking along the sidewalk when several of the townspeople noticed them.

 _“Humans!”_ someone cried, noticeably afraid. _“Run!”_

Everyone on the street fled into whichever buildings were closest, fearing for their very lives. Jefferson looked to Regina with uncertainty.

“I don’t think this is such a good idea, Regina.”

“Maleficent must have done all this to make us vulnerable. We should keep the battle on the ground, that way her wings will be useless to her.”

They all fled to the nearby park with the mirror and Jefferson set it down carefully.

“Uncover it,” said Regina.

Jefferson did so, and it was already glowing green as Maleficent flew out of it with Pan in tow. Maleficent grabbed the gun from her belt and aimed it at Regina, not hesitating to pull the trigger. Regina narrowly avoided having her head blown off. The hot beam left a gaping, scorched hole in a tree behind her. She grabbed a branch and snapped it away to use as a meager weapon.

Maleficent glared at the brunette. “I would know you no matter what your form, Regina!” She fired once more, but again, Regina dodged the blast and came charging at her with the jagged branch. “You take care of the others, Pan! Regina is _mine!”_

Pan smiled. “As you wish.” Green light emanated from his eyes, mutating the environment around him.

A flower grew into a colossal fly trap and snapped at Jefferson, but he was able to hold its fanged mouth open, at least for a moment, before its vines coiled around his legs and flung him through the air.

Graham’s eyes widened. _“Brother!”_

He started running over to Jefferson, only to have roots spring up from within the earth and pin him to the ground. He could hardly move, and the roots were becoming stronger and thicker by the second.

Meanwhile, Killian was doing everything in his power to avoid the giant wasp coming his way. He quickly climbed up into a tree and onto a high branch sturdy enough to hold his weight. The wasp seemed not to notice him, so he took a chance and jumped onto the grotesque creature’s winged back.

Pan was too busy enjoying the mayhem to notice Ruby bolting towards him, having followed the group’s scent. She lunged at him, snarling viciously, and he turned just in time to transform her into a large, angry dog. He grimaced at his mistake.

“Should’ve gone with chihuahua,” he noted as he fled from the furious beast.

Maleficent was lifting Regina off the ground by the throat. “This is the end of you, Regina. Take a nice, deep breath, for it shall be your last.”

Before she could follow up on her threats, Maleficent was knocked to the ground by Jefferson, who had managed to free himself after Killian drove the wasp into the fly trap’s jaws. Killian joined him in pinning Maleficent down while Emma was busy prying the roots off of Graham.

Suddenly, three gargoyles from town spotted them.

“Hey, those monsters are attacking that woman!”

“Get ‘em!”

The trio charged at Killian and Jefferson.

“Wait lads, you don’t understand!”

Killian’s words fell on deaf ears as he and Jefferson were forced to wrestle with the gargoyles, and Maleficent went back to face Regina once more.

“You’re no match for me as a pathetic _human!”_ she shouted, aiming her gun at the brunette.

Regina’s eyes narrowed. “You should know, Maleficent, that my strength has never depended on brute force,” she said. A smile graced her lips as Emma dove in and knocked Maleficent down. “But on _true_ friends.”

Maleficent was fuming. “Who do you think you are, interfering with—”

She gasped when she looked up to find Emma in the form of a gargoyle, and her frown deepened as she bared her fangs.

 _“You!_ What must I do to be rid of you?!”

She lunged at Emma and they fought for dominance.

“Regina, you need to go!” said Emma, “I can handle her!” She landed a powerful punch to Maleficent’s jaw, knocking the woman back.

“No,” Regina said, placing a hand on Emma’s shoulder, “We will handle her _together.”_

Maleficent jumped to her feet and fired at the pair without warning, forcing them to duck. The beam narrowly missed them. Again, Emma was able to knock Maleficent down, but she only fell to her knees and was able to get up rather quickly. When Regina tried to restrain her, she threw the brunette off of her and Regina struck a tree, rendering the brunette momentarily unconscious.

Maleficent stormed towards Regina and started to lift the woman’s body, only to have a scorching beam shot through her wing that left a singed hole in its wake. She hissed in pain and her eyes glowed red as she turned to find Emma standing there holding her favorite gun. In her moment of distraction, she failed to notice Regina getting up. It was only when she found herself pinned to the ground that she realized her mistake.

Jefferson and Killian had managed to scare away the three gargoyles with relative ease and went to join their brother. Having grabbed a nearby trashcan, Graham snuck up behind Pan, who was attempting to out-maneuver Ruby, and slammed it down onto the unsuspecting faerie.

Killian and Jefferson sighed in relief. _“Finally,”_ they uttered in unison.

* * *

Now back at the junkyard with the mirror in one piece and Maleficent bound by the same chain restricting Pan, Regina could finally set things right once and for all.

“Pan,” she said, “change everyone back to the way they were _before_ Maleficent summoned you, and you shall win back your freedom.”

“With pleasure,” the faerie said with a smile, “After all this, I believe I’ll be taking a very long nap.” He looked to the rearview mirror of the truck from before. “First, the humans,” he said.

He used his magic to transform the people of Storybrooke back into their true selves. His eyes took on an eerie green glow as he turned to Emma with a wicked grin, and in a matter of seconds, the blonde found herself human once again.

Regina approached Emma with mild reluctance, smiling when they locked eyes. “Emma? I—”

She was abruptly cut off as Pan transformed her and the others back into gargoyles. Pan looked at her expectantly.

“Now for your end of the deal,” he said, gesturing to his chains. Regina tore them away with ease, and he nodded to her in a show of respect.

“There. You’re free.”

Pan flew over to Maleficent, grabbed her by the arm, and dragged her with him into the glowing mirror. As soon as they were gone, the light faded, and the mirror warped in on itself, vanishing into thin air as though it had never been there at all.

Moments later, it rematerialized in an old barn not far from the town line, launching Maleficent and Pan out of it. Pan flew up to sit atop the mirror, while Maleficent hissed in pain, still suffering from a wounded wing. She struggled to push herself back up, but was ultimately successful.

“I should be thanking you,” said the faerie, “I haven’t had this much fun in _years!”_

Maleficent rolled her eyes. “Just go,” she muttered, “I’d rather not listen to you gloat.”

“What? Without giving you a gift in return?” Pan asked her, “I’m many things, Maleficent, but a poor guest isn’t one of them!” He smiled, but Maleficent was having none of it.

“Please, I’m begging you, just _leave.”_

This infuriated Pan, and so the gears in his head quickly began to turn. “You wish to remain a gargoyle in the night but not stone at sunrise? Very well, Maleficent.”

He snapped his fingers, and Maleficent’s body flickered with a green glow. Then, just like that, Pan disappeared, taking the mirror with him.


	5. Dawn

The gargoyles were back at the castle with Emma, staring out at the horizon as light began creeping up across the sky.

“It’s nearly dawn,” said Graham.

Jefferson sighed. “I would’ve liked to have seen it,” he said glumly, “just once.”

Regina was kneeling on the ledge, facing Emma. “Emma, I—”

“Yeah, I know,” said Emma, “We’re both relieved that everything’s gone back to normal.”

Regina’s brows furrowed. There was hurt in her eyes. “But, that’s not what I was going to say,” she retorted.

Her body turned to stone before she could say another word. Emma looked up at her dejectedly.

“I know,” Emma said quietly, “but that’s just how it is— how it’s _meant_ to be.”

She sighed as she walked away and returned home to her son. She was also in serious need of a nap.

* * *

When Maleficent awoke from her troubled slumber, she was left speechless. The sky was filled with golden light. Could it be? Had Pan really done it? She rushed out of the barn and stared up at the ball of flame in pure wonder. Tears slipped down her cheeks. It was the second most beautiful thing she had ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on.

“I never dreamed it would feel _this incredible,”_ she rasped, reveling in the warmth on her skin.

She hugged herself tightly, running her hands along her arms. That was when the feeling of utter dread flooded her mind. Her claws were gone, as were her wings and tail. Her hands were pale like those of a human, bearing four digits instead of three. She licked her teeth, hoping she at least retained her fangs, but they, too, had been taken. Her hands tightened into fists and she clenched her teeth so hard they nearly shattered.

_“PAN!”_


End file.
